Tamriel
The Tamriel map is a map inspired by the fantasy world in the Elder Scrolls games (a role-playing video game series, so one could perhaps call this map a “fan fiction” map). The map has 48 regions with 7 bonus zones. In addition, each of the bonus zones has an embassy located outside the bonus zone (marked with a flag in the region where the embassy is located). Holding an embassy in addition to the bonus zone of the same color gives a +2 troop bonus. This provides a good sized map for 2-6 player games (but would generally be considered too small for 7-8 player games). The Tamriel map is a circular map with a large centrally located bonus zone. The map’s seas, rivers and mountain ranges (impassable) provide obstacles for assaults and reinforcements between the map’s bonus zones. The Tamriel map is a simple, conservative and classic-style Conquer Club map (originally released in May 2006) relying primarily on region count advantage and zone bonuses to provide an edge in each game. Consequently, being a simple, old school map - what works on Classic generally works on the Tamriel map. Features *Capitals - holding an embassy (regions marked with flags) in addition to the bonus zone of the same color gives a +2 troop bonus (with free deployment) Settings There is nothing particularly special to this map concerning assassin and terminator games or games with a fog of war or manual deployment setting, the general strategy guides on these topics may be helpful. Especially in no spoils games, the ratio between bonus troops and the number of defense points one has to keep in order to hold a bonus zone is a factor to be taken into account when planning one’s strategy. However, and especially with respect to bonus zones consisting of a large number of regions, other factors - such as the negative impact of conquering neutral regions (or regions held by a team mate) as well as the risk that an opponent is able to secure a region count advantage - must be taken into account. Looking at the ratio between bonus troops and the number of defense points, one can conclude that the Tamriel map is reasonably balanced bonus wise. However, looking at the two more easily conquered and held bonus zones, i.e. Black Marsh and Summerset Isle (each with a +3 troop bonus), they are both located at the bottom of the map. If having conquered and held one of these bonus zones, it is often possible to push the advantage and clear out the bottom part of the map. If being able to do that, victory is assured in the vast majority of games. Spoils With the Tamriel map being a rather simple, straight forward old school map - what works on Classic generally works on this map. There is nothing particularly special to this map concerning no spoils, flat rate, nuclear games. Here, the map-specific points under the “Two Player” and “Team Games” sub-sections may be helpful in addition to the general strategy guides on these topics. With respect to escalating games, the only bonus zones one should attempt to hold (if any) in these games are Black Marsh and/or Summerset Isle. As usual, it may be sensible to spread out across the map in order to increase one’s reach (i.e. to have a launching pad for assaults in different areas of the map) once the spoils sets increase in value. The Tamriel map has multiple bottleneck regions as the map’s seas, rivers and mountain ranges (impassable) provide obstacles for assaults and reinforcements between the map’s different bonus zones. Due to this, Cyrodiil (the map’s centrally placed bonus zone) may be the best assault route between the map’s bonus zones. There are a number of centrally located regions that borders four or more adjacent regions (Cloudrest, Dune, Falcreath, Fang Lair, Skingrad, Sanere Tor, Silvenar and Thorn). In order to position yourself to terminate another player, it may be a good idea to conquer one or more of these regions and build troop stacks there. This should, however, be avoided if a troop stack already occupies any of these regions (as the centre of the Tamriel map is relatively open, it generally does not make sense to risk loosing too many of your own troops in order to be able to use any of these regions as a starting-point for future assaults into various parts of the map). A number of dead end regions exist, namely Archon (blocked by Thorn), High Rock (blocked by Dunlain Falls), Lilmoth (blocked by Soulrest), Rimmen (blocked by Gidean) and Telvanis (blocked by Necrom). Trapping an opponent by blocking a region may allow a player to control the destiny of that opponent once the spoils sets increase in value (or, for that matter, protect a team mate as the case may be). 1v1 In a 2 player game, each player starts with 16 regions (i.e. leaving 16 neutral regions). With this initial set-up, an early region count advantage (one player holding 18 or more regions with the other player holding 14 or less regions) may, irrespective of the spoils type, be decisive for the outcome of the game. Preventing the opponent from getting a region count advantage and/or holding any of the more more easily defended bonus zones should be an overarching priority. The most easily defended bonus zones are Black Marsh and Summerset Isle (each with a +3 troop bonus). These two bonus zones are preferably held by setting up defense points outside the bonus zones (Narsis / Stormhold for Black Marsh and Stros M’kai / Woodhearth for Summerset Isle). Doing that allows a player to put up a second defense line by placing 2 troops on the region behind a troop block) as well as blocking adjacent bonus zones. The remaining bonus zones (Cyrodiil, Hammerfell, Elsweyr, Morrowind and Skyrin) are rarely worth an effort in a 2 player game due to their size and likely number of neutral regions. The choice of which bonus zone to go for initially (if any) depends on a number of factors, such as the potential loss of troops when assaulting neutral regions, the opportunities for reinforcing the bonus zone once conquered and the risk that the opponent may be able to conquer a different bonus zone or secure a region count advantage. Black Marsh and Summerset Isle are equally easy (or difficult) to conquer and hold and it is therefore usually prudent to pay attention to the opponent in this respect, if unchecked the opponent may very well be able to counter your own zone bonus with a zone bonus of his own. If holding Black Marsh and/or Summerset Isle, it should definitely be a priority to also conquer respective bonus zone’s embassy (Hrothgar or Colovia) as the embassy gives a +2 troop bonus in addition to the +3 troop bonus one gets for holding the bonus zone itself. Naturally, in a flat rate or escalating spoils game, the importance of the possession of Black Marsh and/or Summerset Isle and/or a region count advantage wears off after a few rounds. However, in a no spoils game, any one of these advantages tends to be the decisive factor in the vast majority of 2 player games. Team games With respect to the basic set-up: In 4 player doubles games, each player starts with 12 regions, in triples games, each player starts with 8 regions and in quadruples games, each player starts with 6 regions. Considering the map size (48 regions), the best strategy in quadruples games is usually to target and attempt to eliminate one of the players in the opposing team (once done, one simply continues targeting the remaining opponents one by one). In doubles or triples games, and irrespective of the spoils type, an early possession of the Black Marsh and/or the Summerset Isle bonus zones may be an important edge (especially so if one in addition to the bonus zone itself also holds its embassy, i.e. Hrothgar and Colovia respectively). Once conquered and held, the bonus zones should preferably be blocked as far out as possible in order to squeeze the opposing team and facilitate future assaults. Without a good initial troop drop, it is difficult to seize and hold both Black Marsh and Summerset Isle. Rather, one may decide to go for either one of them while at the same time trying to ensure that the opposing team is unable to hold the other bonus zone. Having secured either Black Marsh or Summerset Isle, a team has two basic strategies to choose from. The first choice would be to target one of the players in the opposing team (and once eliminated, continue targeting the remaining opponents one by one). The second choice would be to push the advantage by expanding out from the held bonus zone and also achieve a region count advantage in order to grind down the opposing team. Executing any of those choices, a team could simply push outwards along the rim bonus zones clearing out the opponent team setting up troop blocks at various bottleneck regions as the players move along.